


Miscommunication

by Mi_n_ico



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: I was trying to write a 5 plus 1 fic But I only had 4 ideas, M/M, basically it’s gay, each person in the ot3 thinks they’re the third wheel, the girls are sick of watching this trainwreck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 16:52:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13815405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mi_n_ico/pseuds/Mi_n_ico
Summary: otherwise known as the overdone fic format done incorrectly: three idiots can’t figure out that they’re all madly in love with each other





	Miscommunication

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to use a format but none of it worked and I ran out of ideas but you know what I was trying to do right? It’s pining idiots.

In the tavern

It was a rare day when the group got to laze around and do nothing. Between murder mysteries and people hiring them to do various bullshit tasks (but it was Bryce and how can you say no to Bryce they’re an angel) there was rarely time or money to relax.

So when they found themselves with gold to spare and nowhere to be, it was a unanimous vote to do absolutely nothing all day. Which for the Not Girls was sitting around a table eating and talking for hours while the Girls went and made trouble somewhere. 

Supposedly Yasha had shown back up and whisked Beau somewhere to work out together and the others were going to spy on their jock date. They’d invited Molly, but he declined. 

No, he was more content so sit and talk circles around his friends, avoiding any tough questions and basking in the simple glory that was their voices. Oh hopefully Fjord and Caleb never knew what their voices did to him, it’d be a madhouse. All it would take to make Molly crumble was Fjord calling him hun, or darlin, or something of that nature. And for Caleb, anything in Zemnian would bring poor Molly to his knees. 

In fact, he was rather jealous of Nott, who got pet name after pet name from the both of them. Why’d she have to be so endearing? 

2\. Upstairs

It had been a successful day off, and while Fjord was rather pleased with it, he couldn’t help but notice something odd. 

Molly had stayed at the tavern, rather than going off with Nott and Jester to cause mischief, which wasn’t weird in itself, but he had acted strange afterwards as well. He’d hung back, letting Fjord and Caleb lead conversation. He seemed distracted.

As the three of them were getting ready for bed, Molly and Fjord sharing a room, he’d asked before he realized it, slipping into a thicker accent as he absentmindedly spoke.

“You seemed distracted today darlin, is everything all right?”

Molly froze, tense, before relaxing and looking over, “uh yeah, I’m f-fine.”

Fjord turned to face him fully, “are you sure? You had no energy for mischief and then you don’t say hardly a word all day? Are you real sure?”

A streak of dark red-violet graces Molly’s cheeks as he muttered something under his breath and turned away. 

And Fjord wanted to believe he’d heard “I just like hearing you talk.” But he knew better than to get his hopes up like that. 

And besides, what would the enigmatic, beautiful, and talented Mollymauk Tealeaf see in a half-orc who doesn’t even look like a half-orc and has no idea what he’s doing? Fat chance of anything happening there. 

Not to mention Fjord could see from miles away that Molly and Caleb were nearly soulmates. Caleb looked at Molly the way he looked at Nott, and that’s saying something. And Caleb was clearly the only person aside from Yasha who Molly was comfortable showing physical affection to. 

Fjord went to bed that night with a rock of unsaid words in his stomach. 

3\. On the road

Caleb hadn’t fully recovered from his attack in the mine, but he was getting there. He was smiling again, which was good, and engaging with Nott like he usually would. 

“...and-and then” she whispered in his ear, “When Yasha did her next sit up, Beau kissed her! And she squealed like a little girl!”

Caleb chuckled lightly before whispering back, “it sounds like you all had a lovely time.”

“We really did, what did you and Fjord and Molly do?”

“We just talked and ate for hours. Molly seemed tired and distracted though, and I can tell Fjord’s worried.”

Nott’s ears drooped, “you don’t think anything’s gonna happen do you?”

“Nott, I never had any hopes in the first place. You know I’m a fool, I’m used to this by now. The only thing that could bother me is losing you.” 

“... you’re lying. But it’s ok. Sometimes you have to lie to yourself to make it feel better. I do that sometimes too.”

Nott hopped off his lap and moved to whisper with Jester. 

Caleb sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Something wrong hotshot?” Molly’s voice drifts over, soft and smooth.

Caleb looked over to him, “just that Nott’s getting smarter the more time she spends with Jester and now she might be smarter than me.”

This earned half a laugh from Molly, “yes, I wouldn’t doubt that those two, given enough pastries and shiny objects, could take over a large city if not a country.”

It was Caleb’s turn to laugh now. Molly always had the strangest things to say. He was strange, period. Strange, but fantastic.

There was a silence, waiting to be filled, but Caleb didn’t have even half the motivation to fill it, even though he had plenty to say. 

 

4\. Camping out

The girls had huddled up, whispering something apparently very serious near the edge of the firelight, leaving the three of them mildly concerned but unwilling to go over there. 

Until, of course, Jester called Molly over.

He sat down between Jester and Yasha in their little circle, huffing.

“What’s going on over here?”

Collective giggles.

Jester laid a hand on his shoulder, “we’re trying to help you, just remember that.”

Beau nods, “you’ve been a sad sack all day and it’s bugging us. This has got to stop.”

“You’ve never been one to hide how you feel Molly.” Yasha notes, “I’ve never seen you not go after something you want.”

His posture gets defensive, “well this isn’t like every other time Yasha! This is… more serious.”

The group giggles, Yasha covering a smirk with her hand, “so are you saying you’re actually in lo-”

He shushes her very loudly before getting up, “I don’t have time for your silly games! You all may be comfortable with having your personal stuff meddled with but I’m not!”

Nott grabs for his arm, missing, “but Molly! Cal- and he’s gone…”

“I guess they’ve just got to work it out themselves. I still think Molly’s hanging around the boys too much. He’s starting to act like one.” Jester says with a shake of her head. 

 

5\. Night shift

Fjord has taken first shift that night, committing the north sky constellations to memory, tracking how far they’d gone since leaving town. 

But he was getting sleepy, and Molly was supposed to take next watch.

As Fjord shook him awake, a sound reverberated across their camp. It was coming from the area where Caleb and Nott were sleeping.

Caleb had sat up, sighing. 

“You good Caleb?”

He blinked a few times, “Ah, yes, sorry. I had a strange dream just now. What time is it?”

“Fjord just woke me up for my shift, you’ve still got a few hours of sleep.” Molly replied.

Caleb sighed, “honestly I don’t know if I can go back to sleep just yet.” 

Fjord took a few steps over and crouched near Caleb, “you sure you’re good?”

Molly followed him, plopping down in front of Caleb, “I understand if you don’t wanna talk about the dream but you seem pretty shaken up.”

“It wasn’t about what happened the other day I assure you.” Caleb said, averting his eyes, “nothing of the sort. Really it was just a little embarrassing.”

“What, was it one of those dreams where you’re naked in a crowd of people?” Molly asked with a giggle.

Caleb’s face burned, “no no no it wasn’t anything like that. It wasn’t even really a nightmare it was just weird! I’m fine! You can stop hovering.”

Fjord smirked, “you seem pretty emotional over just weird.”

“Yes well the dream was quite personal and I don’t really want to talk about it.” He snapped, face fully flushed.

“Aw come on darlin, if something’s bothering you you ca-”

“Of course something’s bothering me and you two know exactly what it is and delight in my suffering! Stop pretending you can’t tell!”

The other two go silent, before looking at each other.

“Wait are you...?” Molly starts, a disappointed drop in his tone

“No, I thought you were.” Fjord whispered back in shock.

They both turn to look at Caleb, and Fjord not the bullet, “Caleb what are you talking about?”

“What do you mean what am I talking about, im talking about you two.”

“Us?” Molly echoed with a giggle, “unless you mean me watching you two cavorting, I’m not involved with this unfortunately.”

“What the hell are you smoking Molly, there’s no cavorting going on. If anything I’m third wheeling you two!” Fjord spat bitterly.

“Wait wait wait,” Caleb interrupts, “am I reading this conversation right? Are we all somehow convinced the other two people in the conversation are either an item or getting fairly close to it?” 

“Seems like it. But are we wrong is the question.” Fjord replied, “because I’ve been up for over 20 hours straight and my brain is turning into mush and I’d really like to figure this out and go to bed.”

“Well fuck I know I’m not dating anyone but I’m not about to say I don’t want to. But I thought you two were a thing. 

“Now Molly I have no fucking idea where you got that because unfortunately I’ve been watching you two flirt back and forth for days.” Fjord said, motioning between the two, “and honestly the girls say I’m the handsome one or whatever but I really do not see it.”

“Are you kidding me?” Caleb and Molly said in unison. 

Molly took the reins, “Fjord, I mean this in the least creepy way possible, every time you speak I almost start to drool. Whenever you summon that stupid sword of yours, I get heavily distracted. Everything g you say and do is really fucking sexy and you don’t even notice.” 

“Says the one who juggles swords! Do you know how cool that shit is?” 

“Shut up you’re both talented sexy sword wielding badasses and I don’t know why either of you would waste your time on me.” Caleb interrupted.

Before Fjord and Molly could start ranting about how amazing Caleb is, a resounding crack echoed through the clearing, and they all turned to see Beau. 

“You’re all lovestruck disasters who can’t fathom that anyone would love them so shut up and kiss and go to bed so the rest of us can stop watching this slow-mo three-way train wreck. Like goddamn. Also Caleb shut up you may be squishy and prone to death but you’re still a cornerstone of this group and we all love you. So stop that self deprecating bullcrap.” 

A round of half-hearted sleepy cheers emit from the rest of the girls. 

Molly laughs, “sounds good to me.” Before pulling each of the boys in for a quick kiss, “now go to sleep idiots.”

“Says you.” Caleb grumbled, laying back down.

“Hey, takes on to know one.” He shrugged, moving to the cart to take watch. 

Fjord laid down next to Caleb, inviting him to lean against him, an offer Caleb shyly accepted. Across the clearing the distinct slap of a high five could be heard.

“Nott, Jester, go to bed.” Caleb called out.

“Oh shut up stinky.”


End file.
